Coroner calls for law to ensure swimming pools are fenced off after young boy's death

Assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon to ask government for similar
fencing laws to Australia where families must install child-resistant
barriers around pools

Three year old Jack Rowe who drowned at the bottom of the family swimming pool Photo: Solent News & Photo Agency

By Agency

4:53PM BST 15 Apr 2015

A coroner presiding over the inquest of a three-year-old boy who drowned at the bottom of his family's swimming pool has called on the government to introduce laws forcing families to surround pools with child-resistant barriers.

Jack Rowe, described as "adventurous" by his devastated parents, died on his third birthday when he slipped into their swimming pool as he is believed to have been reaching for his favourite toy, a colourful toy broom.

He was found at the bottom of the pool - built into their back garden patio - an hour after he went missing following a frantic search around the family's £1.2million home.

Friends and neighbours had earlier joined in the search around the tranquil village of Upavon, Wiltshire, near the banks of the River Avon.

Dr Claire Balysz, assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, told the inquest she intends to write to Edward Timpson MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Families and Children.

Along with Jack's family, she will ask him to implement similar fencing laws to Australia where families must install child-resistant barriers around pools.

On July 9 last year, Jack was being looked after by his older brother Harry, 20, who went to use the bathroom as Jack watched a Peppa Pig DVD. When he discovered he was missing, Harry raised the alarm with his step-mother Olivia, who then called police.

There were screams from friends when young Jack was found face down at the bottom of the pool at 7pm. Despite desperate attempts to keep him alive, Jack passed away in the early hours the following morning after being airlifted to Southampton General Hospital, Hampshire.

The house in the tranquil village of Upavon, Wilts, situated near the banks of the River Avon (Solent News & Photo Agency)

Dr Balysz said: "I think he was an adventurous little boy and when his DVD of Peppa Pig finished he decided to take himself off outside. I think he fell into the swimming pool and he may have been reaching for his toy.

"Children do run off the whole time and I think it's very unfortunate and a tragic accident what happened to Jack. There was no fence surrounding the swimming pool."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, she continued: "In Australia their swimming pools are supported by child resistant barriers.

"I'm going to write to Edward Timpson MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families to look at getting something like this introduced in Britain.

"I know it's too late and it won't bring Jack back but if something can be changed as a result of this at least something positive can come out of it."

Describing his "wonderful" son, Mr Rowe told how they have set up the Jack Rabbit Foundation - named after his late son's nickname. The charity is raising awareness of survival swimming lessons for children and the money raised will fund such causes.

Mr Rowe said: "Jack has gone and we loved him - and we still love him now. But we still see ourselves as very lucky because a, to have had him, b, because he was just so wonderful for three years and c, we are lucky enough to still have Ella, Harry and Laurence.

"We have difficult moments but we can look at ourselves being lucky and being unlucky but our lives go on and Jack was the unlucky one, not us.

"He was so safe with the pool and it created a degree of complacency and that is something we will always have to live with but that is hopefully all going to change."